Skinny Love
by amethysst
Summary: Pre-pilot, Emily and Ali start to become closer and realize that what they feel is more than just friendship. Rated M for future chapters. #EMISON
1. Chapter 1

It's a beautiful day in Rosewood, its pristine reputation is still intact, unblemished by murders and cover-ups. The breeze is warm and the sky is clear. It is the picture perfect day.

Emily washes her face, pats it down with a towel. She stares herself in the mirror and turns to get a look at her body. She's toned, muscular, but soft and delicate. Her skin is baby smooth, as she removes all of her body hair for swimming. She leaves her house in the morning with a sense of insecurity, thinking somehow this isn't who she should be.

She walks over to Toby's house, knocks on his door. She sees him from the upstairs window.

"I'll be down in a sec Em." He calls out.

"Okay." Emily says quietly.

She sits on Toby's front steps with a blank expression as Jenna steps out of the house.

"Oh, hello Emily."

"Hi Jenna, you aren't walking with us to school?"

"No...my friend is giving me a ride, there she is."

Just as Jenna leaves Toby opens the door with a smile. He gives Emily a hug.

"Who was that with your sister?"

"Oh, that's Shana. Jenna's girlfriend."

Emily's heart starts to race a little, _girlfriend? No one in Rosewood is 'out.'_

"Really? I hadn't heard." Emily says, casually.

"My sister's a private person. Now come on, we're gonna be late."

The whole walk Emily is distracted. Toby talks about this movie he watched but Emily is unfocused, she wants him to speak more about Jenna. Thinking there isn't anyone like you is torture. Emily is terrified of how she feels about girls, about _one _girl. Ali.

They get to school and Ali is at her locker, sticking up some new pictures for the school year. She unconsciously runs her fingers across a picture where she is kissing Emily's cheek.

She starts walking towards the cafeteria to get a yogurt before class when she bumps into Emily.

"Well good morning." Emily says, laughing.

"Come on Em, I was just going to get something to eat."

They walk in to the cafeteria and each get a yogurt, sitting down together. None of the other girls are here yet, so it's just her and Ali.

"Where is everyone this morning?" Emily says.

"Caleb's staying in Hanna's basement so they have to wait until her mom leaves, and Aria and Spencer are together, I think."

"So why'd you come here so early?"

"I knew you'd be here. I like it when it's just the two of us." Ali says, smiling.

"Yeah, me too."

"So I was thinking that there haven't been any great parties lately, and that we should totally throw one." Ali says.

"That sounds like fun, where can we have it?"

"My parents are going to leave to go to some wine-tasting old people thing so it'll be just me and Jason, and he won't care what we do. You should sleep over after."

Emily smiles, her heart beating a little fast. A party _and_ a sleepover? She's just happy she's going to get to spend so much time with Ali.

5 days. That's how long Emily has to wait for the party. She loves the idea of alcohol and Ali. Thinking that that's the only way anything would probably ever happen with them again any way.

xxx

Ali and Emily had kissed before, but it was 2 years ago and they hadn't spoken about it since. Emily had been too scared to bring it up because Ali's reaction was pretty straight-forward. They were at the kissing rock, spray-painting their initials.

"See. Now we'll be best friends forever." Ali had said.

They both crossed their legs on the rock, facing each other, making wishes by blowing on wilted dandelions.

"What would you wish for Em?" Ali said, twirling the stem in between her fingers.

Emily didn't say a word, just leaned in and pressed her lips to Ali's, softly and innocently. When she pulled away Ali smiled, and then started talking about this boy she liked. Emily was heartbroken, but she never questioned Ali's feelings for her again. She wanted her, more than anything, but she suffered in silence, enjoying their friendship as much as she could - because she knew it was all she'd ever get.

xxx

Saturday morning came and Emily woke up still tired from the night before. She stayed in bed, staring at the ceiling. Finally she decided to text Toby.

**Can you come over? I need to talk to you.**

Toby replied within minutes.

**Coming now.**

She opened the door for him downstairs and led him up to her bedroom.

"Okay, you're the only person I can talk to about this because you're the only person that seems okay with it."

"Spill it Em, what's going on?"

"I'm...like Jenna."

"What do you mean?"

"I like girls." Her voice straining on the last word.

"I know."

"What do you mean, you know?"

"I've seen the way you look at her, you forget how much I notice things Emily."

"The way I look at who?" Emily needs confirmation, to finally hear it from someone other than herself.

"Alison." Toby says.

He sits on the bed next to Emily and grabs her hand.

"I've known for a while...well thought it. I think that's kind of why me and you can be such good friends, because it doesn't get complicated."

"Plus you like Spencer." Emily says, swatting playfully at Toby's arm.

"Yes, well there's that too."

Emily's eyes water a little, feeling a sense of relief. She's glad she has this, someone who won't judge her.

xxx

Later that night, there are kegs and bottles and a pit of stoners in the backyard. Everyone is a little drunk, a little flirty, having a great time. Ali is an incredible host, she lights up the room and is talkative with everyone, even some of the "geeks" who showed up uninvited.

Downstairs in the basement, splayed out on couches surrounding a coffee table, Caleb and Hanna are drunk in love, ignoring the world. Aria and her older boyfriend from Hollis, Ezra, are in their own world marveling over Ali's parents old film collection. Toby is even chatting up Spencer, who is nervously playing with the hem of her shirt.

Ali and Emily are sitting on the couch, Emily a little bit stoned and a little bit tipsy.

"How much did you smoke kiddo?" Ali asks.

"Just a few hits, I'm fine actually, just super tired."

"It's a party, perk up, have another shot with me." Ali insists.

She licks Emily's hand and pours a bit of salt on it, and does the same for herself. Emily just stares at her tongue, her gaze frozen.

"Cheers." Ali says, throwing her head back.

Emily takes the shot and bites in to the lime, liking the sour flavor. Ali looks at her and slumps down on to her shoulder.

"Who am I kidding? I'm tired too. Everyone will leave soon and we'll sleep ok?" Ali says.

She takes Emily's hand in to hers and strokes it with her thumb. She loves the way Ali reaches for her, being close to her is what makes this night special. They're both a little drunk, and neither of them say anything, just cuddle there on the couch, fingers intertwined with the music blaring around them, not even picking their heads up when people call their names.


	2. Chapter 2

6:00 a.m

The sun shines through the window in Ali's pink bedroom, hitting her right in the eyes. Her head pounds, feeling the night's weight right in the middle of her forehead. _I shouldn't have drank that last shot, _she thinks. She feels warm skin against her and nuzzles closer, still half asleep. She moves her hand against Emily's and grabs hold of her wrist, her thumb stroking the smooth skin of her arm. Feeling Emily's pulse puts her right back to sleep.

xxx

In the morning, it's Emily who wakes first this time. She feels a hand on her arm and doesn't move, not wanting to wake Ali and end this feeling. Her touch is soothing and delicate, and Emily thinks how to Ali it's just friendly, without thought, but to her Ali's touch feels like the safest she could be.

Ali's eyes flutter open slowly. Emily is facing away from her so she can't see if she's awake yet. Her bladder is pressing and she slowly moves her arm away from Emily, careful not to wake her.

"You up?" Emily asks.

"Yeah I have to pee, I'll be right back we'll make breakfast."

Alison walks towards the bathroom and Emily calls out, "Hey, you wanna go out for breakfast instead?"

Alison calls out from inside the half-open door, "Yeah sure, we just have to clean up all the bottles, Jason said he'd do the rest."

Emily gets a head start on the cleanup while Ali gets dressed upstairs, gathering all the empty alcohol bottles and placing the ones with some booze left in one of Ali's secret hiding spots, her treehouse in her backyard. She takes the bag of bottles to the recycling and sees moving trucks next door, and then hears the sound of glass shattering.

"Shit. I'm so sorry." says the driver, his head sticking out the window.

One of the moving trucks had backed into the recycling bin, shattering all the bottles inside.

"Is everything ok?"

A beautiful girl with glowing skin and dark hair walks over to Emily. She wears plain denim shorts and a gray tank, a long black necklace hanging down to her stomach.

"I'm so sorry about that, I'll get you a broom."

Emily tries to protest but the girl is already running towards her house. After a minute, she runs back out and starts scooping up the glass.

"It wasn't your fault, let me."

"Alright." the girl says, handing the broom to Emily.

"I'm Maya, I just moved in next door. You live here?"

"Nice to meet you Maya, I'm Emily. No, this is my friend Alison's house, I just spent the night."

"Some party you must have had last night."

"It's that obvious huh?"

"You're cleaning up broken alcohol bottles."

Emily laughs a little and smiles. "Right."

"Where'd you move from?" Emily asks.

"California. Big change."

"I'm sure. But it's not so bad here, you'll like it."

"I already do."

Emily scoops up the last of the glass back into the recycling bin and closes the top.

"Well it was nice meeting you, are you going to school here?"

"Yeah, Rosewood High."

"That's where I go. I'll be seeing you around."

"I hope." Maya answers, staring Emily in the eyes. "It was nice meeting you too Emily."

Emily walks towards the Dilaurentis house, her heart hammering a little. She stops her thoughts in their tracks _'what if she's into girls?' 'was I imagining the signals?'_

xxx

At the Brew, Ali and Emily are sipping their coffees, eating, and talking about all the best party moments.

"Did you see how cute Toby and Spencer were? I think he drove her home." Emily says.

"I wasn't really paying attention to them."

"What were you paying attention to then?" Emily asks.

Ali takes a bite of her pancakes and ignores Emily's question.

"A new girl moved in next door to you. Her name is Maya." Emily says.

"How is she?"

"She's really nice. She's coming to our school."

Emily smiles while she talks about Maya, and Ali's mood shifts.

"I gotta go Em."

"What? You didn't even finish your pancakes."

"I know I just remembered I have this project I need to start."

"School just started you already have projects?"

"Yeah I just want to get a head start. I'll call you later okay?"

Ali leaves a 20$ bill on the table, grabs her purse and leaves. Emily sits there, wondering what Ali's hiding from her, or what she did wrong, and she can't understand.

xxx

Monday at school, Emily shows up her usual half hour early to get her alone time with Ali. She sits at their usual table when someone pulls up a chair.

"Hey, you were easy to find."

"Hey, yeah I'm always here early in the mornings." Emily wonders if she should've said that, this time was always hers and Ali's.

Just then Ali shows up and sets down a yogurt for Emily.

"Hi, we haven't met. I'm Alison."

"Hi, I'm Maya, I just moved in next door."

"Great to meet you. Hey Em, want to walk me to first period?"

"Actually Maya and I have gym together first period, since she's knew I'm going to walk her."

"No problem, we'll catch up later." Ali walks off and goes outside. She pulls out a cigarette from her emergency pack and lights one, inhaling deeply on each drag. She doesn't even know why she's so stressed, she just has an uneasiness she can't shake.

xxx

After first period gym, Emily has a free period, so she's the last one left in the showers. She wraps the towel around her and steps out, and finds Maya changing by one of the lockers. She's wearing a cute pink thong and a matching bra.

"Hey! Feeling refreshed?" Maya asks.

"Yeah." Emily smiles and puts on her clothes.

"So do you have a boyfriend?"

"No, well I did. We broke up a little while ago."

"I'm sorry. That sucks."

"No it's alright. How about you?"

"No boyfriend. I just broke up with my girlfriend."

Emily stares at her a little wide-eyed, not expecting this much honesty from a practical stranger. This is what's really refreshing.

"That sucks." Emily says, trying not to appear too phased by Maya's confession.

"So how is it being out?" Emily asks casually.

"It's great, everyone in San Fran was really accepting. No one's seemed to really care here either."

"Really? I've thought about it..." Emily stops herself, surprised by her own willingness to disclose.

"You've thought about coming out?" Maya asks, one eyebrow a little raised.

"Yeah."

"It'll be hard, but it's worth it. You shouldn't have to hide from who you are."

Emily smiles and hugs Maya, her hand in the shorter girl's hair. She pulls away slowly and Maya gives her a kiss on the cheek, a little too close to her lips.

"I gotta go." Maya says. She picks up her stuff and leaves the locker room, leaving Emily with way too many thoughts and nowhere to put them.

xxx

Ali finds Emily in the hallway and runs up behind her. "Let's skip the rest of the day."

"And go where?"

"It's a surprise."

"Ali it's the first week of school."

"So what? It's one day, we won't do it all the time, let's go. I'm driving."

They get into Ali's white Mercedes and drive towards the edge of town. "We're going _out _ of Rosewood?" Emily asks.

"Just a little."

Right outside the edge of the city, there is a mountain lookout hidden beyond a forest path.

"How'd you find this place?" Emily asks. "There are no signs for it or anything."

"I used to come here when I was a kid." Ali says, closing the car door. "I've always loved the view of Rosewood from above."

Emily looks at Ali's eyes, seeing her lost in the memory of being in this spot.

"Ali I want to talk to you about something."

"What is it?" Ali's heart races a little, anticipating her answer.

"I want to come out. Like actually come out, to my parents, to everyone."

Ali relaxes a little. "What made you think about doing it now?"

"Well you know that new girl? Maya? She told me she came out and it's been great not having to hide anymore."

"She's gay?"

"Yeah."

"Oh." Ali looks onwards toward the mountains surrounding the city. "So do you like her?"

"I don't know her well enough yet...but yeah I do like her."

"You should go for it."

Ali smiles, although not fully. It's not her trademark Ali D smirk, it's more sad somehow. _Fuck. _She thinks to herself. _What is wrong with me?_


End file.
